The crash between the truck transporting grain from Quairading to York and a farm vehicle was parallel to the Quairading to York Tier 3 rail line and highlights the need to maintain the Tier 3 rail network, the state farming body says.

WAFarmers President, Mike Norton, said: “The Government extended the life of the Quairading to York line last year, however poor maintenance and underinvestment by successive governments, along with the near-record harvest has forced grain to be transported by road as the track in a very poor condition.”

This crash highlights the increased risk that motorists face as rail transport and rail rolling stock options decrease.

“The condition of some of the roads in rural Western Australia are fit for purpose. Roads in some areas are too narrow for wide vehicles to pass safely, and today’s crash highlights that fact,” Mr Norton said.

“The decision by the State Government and Minister for Transport Troy Buswell, to close some of the Tier 3 network will add stress to our road system and increase the risks to road users,” he said.

“The Tier 3 rail network was developed as an economical and safe option to transport grain throughout the Wheatbelt and WAFarmers believes that investment in the Tier 3 lines is the only sensible course of action when economic, environmental and road safety factors are taken into account.”

Mr Norton said WAFarmers’ consistent position has been that closing the Tier 3 network would result in an additional minimum 57,000 truck movements in Western Australia each year, including throughout the Perth metropolitan area

WAFarmers concluded by calling on the State Government to reinstate the full Tier 3 rail network.